In the field of silver halide color photographic light sensitive material, which is hereinafter referred to as "color light sensitive material" or simply as "light sensitive material", it is necessary to obtain a dye image with sufficient maximum density (excellent dye-forming efficiency) produced by effective reaction of a coupler with an oxidation product of a color developing agent. Further, it is desired that the obtained dye image does not easily fade away or discolors even when it is exposed to light for a long time or when it is stored under conditions of high temperature and high humidity.
However, recent demand for rapid processing has brought about disadvantages in reaction of a coupler with an oxidation product of a color developing agent.
In order to improve the coupler reaction, it is well known that more hydrophilic high boiling point organic solvent is used. However, it has been found that, when a coupler-containing silver halide emulsion layer closest to the support of light sensitive material, which is most difficult to color develop, color mixture is produced after storage, resulting in marked lowering of color reproduction.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 52-152722/1977 and 53-13414/1978 disclose a silver halide emulsion layer closest to the support of light sensitive material, the layer containing a saturated higher alcohol, whereby color developability in silver halide emulsion layers closer to the support as well as in the layer closest to the support is improved. However, it has also been found that this technique has the disadvantages in that color mixture improvement is insufficient and light fastness of the obtained dye image is deteriorated.
As a method improving a dye-forming efficiency of a coupler is disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 7-84350/1995 and 63-11935/1988 a technique employing a glycerin derivative for a high boiling point organic solvent, however, there are the problems that the use of these compounds disclosed in these patent specifications results in dye image light fastness lowering and in dye image bleeding after storage under high temperature and high humidity, although the dye-forming efficiency is increased.
There is the disclosure in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,725,067, 3,758,309 and 3,810,761 that a pyrazole magenta coupler gives a dye image having reduced side absorption in the blue wavelength range and preferable in color reproduction as compared with a 5-pyrazolone magenta coupler. However, the azomethine dye formed from the pyrazoloazole magenta coupler is markedly low in light fastness, resulting in lowering of quality of a color photographic light sensitive material, particularly a color photographic light sensitive material for color print.
As a method to enhance light fastness is known a technique in which a phenol or phenylether compound disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 59-125732/1984, 61-282845/1986, 61-292639/1986 and 61-279855/1986 or an amine compound disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 61-72246/1986, 62-208048/1987, 62-157031/1987 is used in combination with a pyrazoloazole magenta coupler, but this technique is insufficient to enhance the light fastness. Thus, the improvement has been eagerly required.